Last week I met with John Gale and Terry Noakes at the Folkestone Trawlers Association, to discuss the outcome of the referendum on Britain leaving the European Union, and its impact on our local fishing industry. This is now an opportunity to re-write the rules as the UK prepares to withdraw from the Commons Fisheries Policy. I’d like to see us move to a system where there is far less regulation of the smaller vessels, comprising of trawlers under ten metres long, that make up our inshore fleet. These are the types of boats that are typical fishing around Hythe Bay. Whilst about 80% of the fishing vessels in the United Kingdom are 10 metres in length or under, they account for only about 9% of the capacity of the industry. It makes sense that bigger boats can catch and land more fish. However, we should consider introducing a bigger difference in the way we monitor and regulate these sectors of the industry.
Fishing quotas were introduced to help conserve fish stocks in the sea, you can see their importance when looking at a very large trawlers fishing for cod in the deep waters off of the west coast of Scotland or in the North Sea, However, for small boats fishing in areas like Hythe Bay, the enforcement of strict quotas has made the industry increasingly unsustainable, and massively overregulated. We should look seriously now at taking the under ten metre fishing fleet out of the quota system altogether and replacing it with a general agreement between the industry and the Marine Management Organisation. There should also be more local, day to day management of the local fishing industry. In Hythe Bay for example, I would favour the initiative proposed by the local fishermen, to create a permit scheme for fishing that would keep out larger boats with heavier gear.
On Friday I performed the official opening of another new business that has located to the Sycamore Farm business park at Old Romney. Taskmasters are one of the UK’s leading height safety, rescue trainers, and difficult access specialists, providing services around the world. They work on many of London’s landmark tall buildings, where their team conduct outdoor maintenance work at height and provide safety and rescue training. Taskmasters have also been retained to clean the clock face on Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster. This now means that Sycamore Farm is home to two separate businesses that work with the parliamentary estate. Growth Rings, a social enterprise specialising in oak flooring and furniture is also one of parliament’s recommended suppliers.
Later on Friday I visited Christchurch primary school in Folkestone and answered a wide range of questions from a large group of pupils. We covered a number of subjects including the result of the European referendum and Theresa May’s election as our new Prime Minister. It was great to see the lively interest the children have taken in topical issues; I wouldn’t be at all surprised in there are some budding politicians of the future in the school.